


A Little Light

by couffaine



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - No Akuma (Miraculous Ladybug), Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, F/M, Fluff, ML Secret Santa, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 00:41:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21964042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/couffaine/pseuds/couffaine
Summary: Adrien has had to move to Paris along with his father's brand. Tired of his mundane and repetitive lifestyle, he decides to go for a walk on an early morning to clear his thoughts out, when he stumbles across an interesting, small coffee shop.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 17
Kudos: 130





	A Little Light

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was made for @actuallycannotflirt on tumblr for the Miraculous Ladybug Secret Santa event organized by @mlsecretsanta!
> 
> I'm sorry I couldn't get this out before Christmas day, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless! Happy holidays!

Adrien couldn't say he didn't see this coming. With his father's brand always looking to relocate to the best city for his business, it was only a matter of time before Adrien would have to leave everything behind and start over somewhere new. Only this time, it was France's busiest location: Paris. But what choice did he have?

His eyes glued to the ceiling above him, Adrien wondered if he would ever get used to the changes. Sure, his new room was spacious, and the bed underneath him was as comfortable as they got. However, he would be lying if he said having to meet new people and constantly make new friends didn’t wear him out.

The slightest bit of light seeped through the large windows opposite to his bed as the sun slowly rose.

“What time is it,” Adrien mumbled to himself, turning over to check his alarm clock. “Half past six…”

Laying in bed sleepless wasn’t doing him any good, he thought, so he decided he would be better off getting some fresh air. He got up, grabbed one of his darker-toned jackets and carefully opened his bedroom door to leave. He walked down the stairs leading to the house’s main entrance before looking left and right, making sure no one was awake to notice him slipping out. Carefully opening the large door as narrowly as possible, walking out, and shutting it behind him, he hoped the noise wasn’t enough to wake anyone up. Now outside, he took a well-needed deep breath, then exhaled slowly.

He didn’t know where he was going. Everything looked unfamiliar, and the lack of people walking around was of no help. Adrien decided sticking to the same sidewalk would be the best idea, and it would help him get back home easily.

After walking for who-knows how long, his thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a small coffee shop, lit up and open to customers. It caught his attention as it was one of the very few places that were open at this time.

Deciding he'd gotten enough fresh air and could instead use a drink, he stopped in front of the coffee shop’s door and pushed it open.

Inside the shop, Marinette was making a few final preparations, ready for customers to start coming in. She stood behind the counter organizing a couple of tools here in there while she waited, until she heard the small bell by the door ring as someone pushed it open. Looking up, she was greeted by a young man walking in.

He appeared hesitant, or perhaps lost in thought. One thing Marinette was certain of, however, was that she had never seen him before. Being a small local shop, they rarely encountered new customers, making this a rather unusual event.

He carefully let the door shut behind him and walked over to the counter. As he did so, Marinette noticed he seemed pretty tired. Yet a small smile formed across his face, and Marinette couldn't help but smile back. Years of working in customer service taught Marinette to smile at all customers, however, this one was genuine.

"Good morning! How can I help you today?" Marinette inquired.

“Uhm…” Adrien gave the large menus hanging on the wall a glance. Each drink had a name, with the ingredients listed in a smaller font right under it. Deciding it would take him too long to read the list of unfamiliar drinks, hence wasting the barista’s time, he opted to ask for advice instead.

"I'd like something sweet, but I've never tried any of the drinks here before," Adrien spoke. "What would you recommend?"

“Oh, well if you ask me, I would definitely suggest the...” Marinette described a drink in mind. Despite Adrien’s growing smile, she could tell he wasn’t feeling too well. “It’s always a good start to my mornings!” she added, referring to the drink.

"Oh! That sounds great, I would love to try that one out, please," Adrien replied.

"Would you like it caffeinated?” Marinette gave him a thoughtful look, “I mean this in the most polite way possible, but you look like you need it." 

Adrien laughed.

"I suppose I could use some caffeine, yeah." Adrien gave a tired, yet genuine smile. "Thanks," he added.

“Sure thing,” Marinette replied with a warm smile before she finished typing up his order.

She got to work and started making his drink. In the meantime, Adrien waited by the counter, mindlessly reading the various posters hanging on the walls around the store. Noticing how quiet the cafe suddenly became, Marinette decided to make some small talk between the new customer and herself. She was curious, after all.

"So, do you live around here?" she asked. Her eyes stayed on the ingredients she was mixing, realizing her question may have been too personal. “I mean, I only ask because this is your first time here, isn’t it?” she added.

“I just moved here, actually.” His eyes shifted towards his feet. “But this city is huge, and I don't know much of what's around."

Marinette looked up at the customer. “Oh, how did you find this place?” 

“I was just walking around, I guess,” Adrien tried to explain. He found it particularly hard holding eye contact with Marinette. “I happened to walk by this shop and decided I might as well get myself a drink. And, most other places are still closed.”

“Yeah, it _is_ quite early,” Marinette replied with a questioning look.

Something about the way he spoke told Marinette he was not having a very good morning. She wanted to ask him what was on his mind, why he was out at seven in the morning on a Saturday, and why he didn’t seem too happy about moving to the city. But she figured it would be too informal, given the current situation. Instead, Adrien broke the silence by asking a question.

“So... are there any particular places here you would recommend I visit?” 

“As funny as this may sound coming from a Parisian, I haven’t actually been to that many tourist-y areas,” she started, “besides the famous ones, like the Tour Eiffel, the Louvre, you know those.”

“Yeah, and I’ve wanted to visit the Louvre Museum for a while now actually! It’ll be easier now that I live in the same city as it,” Adrien said with a hint of excitement in his voice. “Although, sadly, I don’t think I’ll have time to go there today,” he sighed.

“Oh, that’s a shame, really,” Marinette sympathized.

"And," he leaned against the counter slightly, holding a hand near his mouth like he was telling a secret, "even if I did, I don’t know how to read a map," he gave a sheepish grin. “I wouldn’t know how to get there.”

Marinette couldn't help but giggle at his words. 

"You know you could use your phone, right?" she laughed.

"Well, I suppose that’s an option, but my strict job means I don't always get to have my phone on me. It would distract me, is what I’m told.”

"Really? What's your job?" Marinette asked, then added, "If you don't mind saying it, of course."

"Of course not, I'm a model for my father's brand. But, to be honest with you, I've been doing it ever since I was a child, and at this point it’s quite boring and repetitive." Adrien sighed. “Actually, that was an understatement. It’s unbearable.”

“Oh,” Marinette gave him a concerned look. "Maybe your move to Paris might refresh your mind and help you find something you enjoy," she tried to comfort him.

"You’re right," Adrien said. "At least, I'm hoping that’ll be the case. But I'm not so sure my father would let me go around doing whatever I like at any time.”

“Well, you’re allowed to be here right now, so that’s something,” Marinette pointed out.

“I snuck out.”

Marinette tried her best not to laugh. She couldn’t help but admire his honesty, and the innocent smile he gave along with it. She laughed anyway, and he laughed along.

“But,” Adrien continued, “perhaps he would let me get a part time job if I convinced him. It would also be a good opportunity to make friends, you know?"

Marinette gave him a thoughtful look. Adrien felt his heart rate pickup. 

"That's a good idea, do you have any particular jobs in mind?"

"No, not really," he thought aloud. "It's not that easy finding a job here in Paris, I assume?" 

"I suppose it depends on the area..." she let her sentence trail off.

Marinette finished Adrien's drink and placed it on the counter in front of him. 

"Your drink’s all done, but would you mind waiting here for just a second? I need to ask my colleague something and I'll be right back."

"Sure! Take your time." Adrien smiled and watched her leave to another room. 

As he waited, he took another look around the cafe. The early sun's light shone through the blinds on the windows, giving the place a home-y feel. Yet Adrien found his mind wandering to the thought of the charming barista instead. Although he'd only met her a few moments ago, he admired the way she was able to make him forget about the worries he’d entered the coffee shop with, replacing them with a sense of warmth with her small talk and smiles. Her voice was gentle yet reassuring, and he couldn’t help but want to get to know her more.

Meanwhile, Marinette entered the storage room looking for Alya, her best friend and co-worker. When she spotted her, she wasted no time asking her question.

"Hey Alya, isn't this place currently looking to hire another barista?" 

Turning around, Alya met Marinette's eyes. "Yeah, why?"

Intentionally ignoring her question, Marinette asked, “Where are the application forms?” to which Alya pointed in their direction.

“Who is it for, Mari? Did someone ask for one?”

“I guess you could say so,” Marinette replied with a fond smile.

Something about her friend’s smile told Alya this particular “someone” wasn’t just any regular customer.

“You better come back here as soon as they leave, I have questions,” Alya joked.

“Sure, sure,” Marinette laughed as she rushed out of the room with a form in her hands.

As soon as she returned to the main area, she was met yet again by Adrien standing by the counter, seeming lost in thought.

"So sorry for the wait!" 

Adrien’s attention quickly switched to Marinette’s voice. Their eyes met, and Marinette’s bright smile alone was enough to drastically lift his mood. He smiled back, feeling his heart rate pick up again.

"Good news,” Marinette spoke, “we are currently looking to hire a new barista here. Have a think, and if you're interested, you can take this home and fill it out." She laid the application form down on the counter for him to take.

"Oh, what are the odds!" Adrien looked at the form, then back at Marinette, trying his best to look as cool as possible. "Would you mind if I filled it out now?" Adrien asked.

"Now?" she gathered he really wanted a job. "Sure!" she said as she handed him a pen.

While he filled out the form, Marinette couldn’t help but notice the way his hair fell over his face as he looked down at the paper, or the way his hands moved as he wrote in perfectly neat handwriting. Taking a closer look at what exactly he was writing, her eyes landed on where he wrote his name.

"Adrien Agreste..." she whispered under her breath.

She thought it sounded familiar, but she didn’t give it too much thought.

Adrien looked up from the sheet and met her gaze, and that was when she realized she may have said his name a little louder than she had intended. Her face turned red.

"Sorry! Didn't mean to interrupt you!" she managed.

"No worries," he laughed involuntarily, and Marinette felt her heart was going to explode.

A few moments later, Adrien put the pen down and held the form, double checking his information. “All done!” he said as he handed it to Marinette.

“Awesome! Expect to hear back from us in a couple of days, Adrien.”

Hearing her say his name made Adrien feel something strong and unexplainable in his heart. He hoped she didn’t notice his face turn a little red.

“Thank you…” his sentence trailed off as he tried to read Marinette’s name tag.

Marinette noticed and told him her name. “Marinette!” 

“Thank you, Marinette. You’ve helped me out a lot this morning,” he spoke softly and gave her a gentle smile.

“Anytime,” she smiled back, “feel free to pop in whenever you pass by, I’ll probably be here.”

Then she paused, remembering what he’d mentioned earlier. “But don’t get lost,” she added with a grin.

Adrien could not explain the feeling he felt in his heart even if he tried. He laughed warmly.

“Don’t worry, I’ll try my best,” he replied in between giggles.

He took his drink from the counter and waved. “I’ll see you another time, Marinette!”

“See you later, Adrien!” Marinette replied, really hoping she would.

And with that, Adrien left the coffee shop, his mind at ease and his heart full.

Marinette’s smile didn’t fade even after the door had shut behind Adrien.

A few seconds passed, and Marinette’s reminiscing was interrupted by Alya appearing from the door she had previously entered.

“So, what was that all about,” Alya grinned at Marinette.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Marinette hummed.

“Come on, Mari!”

“I’m joking, I’m joking,” Marinette gave in and elbowed Alya in the arm. “I don’t know, Alya, he was just so…”

“Handsome? Charming? Breathtaking?”

“Oh, come on, I don’t care about looks alone,” Marinette protested. “There was just something about him...“

“What was his name again? Adrien, I heard you say?” Alya asked.

“Yes, Adrien Agreste,” Marinette smiled.

“Wait…” Alya examined Marinette’s expression. “Is that who I think it is?”

“What?”

“Hold on,” Alya quickly reached for her phone in her pocket and searched his name, several images popping up. “Don’t tell me this is the guy,” she turned the phone’s screen to Marinette.

Marinette examined the images carefully, then her eyes went wide. The stunned expression on her face was enough of an answer to Alya.

“You’re joking.” Marinette was speechless. “I thought he looked familiar, but not _long-time-famous-supermodel_ familiar.”

“Oh my God, Marinette, this has to be the most you-thing you could have ever done,” Alya laughed affectionately at her best friend. “And that application form you asked for was for him?”

Marinette buried her face in her hands, unable to believe what she had just done. 

“Why would Adrien Agreste want a job as a barista, anyway?” Alya wondered.

“You know, I think it’s less him wanting the job and more him just looking for something new in his life,” Marinette explained. “He told me about how he hates being a model, and that he just needs a break and wants something fresh to do in his spare time, I guess,” Marinette recalled. “He’s also just had to relocate to the city, something he doesn’t seem too happy about.”

“Sounds like he’s having a hard time, although, sadly, it’s not surprising considering he’s had to be under the spotlight since he was a child,” Alya pointed out.

“I can imagine that being tough,” Marinette agreed.

“But, you know how many people apply to work here, or rather, the lack thereof,” Alya smiled and gave Marinette a wink, then continued, “he’ll get accepted for sure, and you’ll be the one to train him.”

“Me?” Marinette replied way too fast, but then realized that probably wouldn’t be too bad. In fact, she might have wanted that. If her nerves allowed her to without acting up.

“Yes, you.” Alya patted Marinette’s shoulder.

“How did I end up in this situation?” Marinette thought aloud, unable to contain the smile on her face.

“You’re just lucky,” Alya responded.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought of this!!


End file.
